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P 241338Z MAY 06
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INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1402
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1480
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6529
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000389 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016 
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 19:  EASTERN 
IMAM RAILS AGAINST WOMEN'S LIBERATION AND CRUSADERS IN 
ARABIA; WESTERN IMAMS CALL FOR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND 
TRUST IN GOD 
 
 
Classified By: Acting Consul General Hector Morales, for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE:  FULMINATIONS AGAINST THE MODERN 
WORLD AND ESPECIALLY WOMEN'S RIGHTS 
 
¶1.  (C)  On May 19, Sahikh Mohammad al-Qahtani spoke at the 
Imam Ahmad bin Habal Mosque in al-Khobar to a congregation of 
more than 500 worshippers.  NOTE:  In the opinion of our 
source, this was one of the strongest sermons the imam has 
delivered.  It was Saudi-specific, and the imam explicitly 
condemned powerful Saudi figures, including Prince al-Waleed 
bin Talal, Lubna Olayan and others, whom the religious right 
considers liberal or secular.  The imam's criticisms extended 
to the government and the establishment, and, in the opinion 
of the source, may land him in trouble with the authorities. 
His most extreme criticism was his condemnation of the Saudi 
government for inviting American and allied troops to protect 
Saudi Arabia against Saddam's threats in 1990.  END NOTE. 
 
¶2.  (C) As is the imam's custom, his sermon started off 
quietly, with an indictment of those who would "commercialize 
the Shari'ah,"  "Some people," he complained, "use Islamic 
Shari'ah as cover for other 'worldly' purposes, whether it's 
to market something or is an attempt to legitimize an action 
or a decision." 
 
INDICTMENT OF WOMEN'S LIBERATION 
 
¶3.  (C) His rhetoric quickly escalated as he denounced 
newspapers, and especially satellite television for running 
stories and airing programs under the pretext of "women's 
liberation."  According to the imam, these did the opposite 
and damaged the image of women and their place in the 
community.  He exclaimed that "They" have been trying very 
hard to sow discord among Muslim communities.  He traced the 
trend back to the women's liberation movement in Egypt in 
1919 and connected it to the spread of communism and 
socialism in later decades.  He denounced several Egyptian 
writers from the 1950's through the 1970's who had written 
books advocating women's liberation. 
 
DENUNCIATION OF GOVERNMENT FOR ADMITTING CRUSADERS 
 
¶4.  (C) Then his diatribe reached its peak as he announced 
the cause for this iniquitous state.  "Fifteen years ago, 
this was a country where men would never dare organize a 
demonstration or even squeak a word for fear of being 
arrested, yet a group of women managed it.  You know why? 
The very presence of the crusader army on the Land of the Two 
Holy Mosques acted as a catalyst.  It helped give the women 
newly found courage, which they never had.  No doubt, others 
were also behind those women.  These women showed defiance 
and contempt.  They got behind the wheels of cars that had 
been left for them and drove on the streets of our capital 
city as if it's the normal thing to do!" 
 
WICKEDNESS IN SAUDI ARABIA 
 
¶5.  (C) "Now," he went on, "we have people who brag about the 
first Saudi woman pilot, the first Saudi woman rally driver, 
and so on.  The pilot's photo meeting her benefactor was 
published across the pages of Saudi papers for all to see, 
and the rally driver was featured in a TV program.  How do we 
know what the pilot will be doing when she travels abroad in 
the company of total strangers?  The list goes on.  There are 
people who encourage women to participate in conferences and 
meetings.  Let's take the example of economic conferences. 
Can you explain to me why is it the conference is held in 
Europe when it should have been held here where the economy 
is?  How about the increasing number of Saudi women who leave 
their abayas behind and appear in public, even on TV for all 
to see!  Is this what they want?  Or what we want?  I recall 
a statement Mr. Abd al-Rahman al-Jeraisy (Head of the Riyadh 
Chamber of Commerce) made after one of these conferences, 
when he described the conference more like a women's fashion 
show!  If they are concerned about women's issues, why don't 
they stand up and defend older women, widows and divorcees? 
These are the women who need protection.  If that is not 
enough, we have women appearing in public with make-up on 
 
JEDDAH 00000389  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
their faces!  Why is it a woman TV hostess spends three hours 
on make-up when her program is actually a few minutes long? 
Look at negative attitude toward the Committee for the 
Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.  They paint 
negative pictures about them.  It is disgusting." 
 
PUTTING PROFIT BEFORE THE PROPHET 
 
¶6.  (C) The imam concluded with another attack against those 
he accused of using the Shari'ah too liberally.  "How do you 
know," he announced, "the meat you buy is halal (Prepared in 
compliance with Islamic requirements.) even though it's 
properly labeled in accordance with Islamic Shari'ah?  The 
word is that $50.00 a head will get you the label but not 
necessarily the halal meat, and this is what some Muslims are 
doing in Europe.  Everything is labeled correctly but the 
service or the product itself are far from being Islamic." 
 
FROM MECCA:  IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR HARRIED 
STUDENTS 
 
¶7.  (U) At the time when Saudi students are facing the ordeal 
of final examinations, Shaykh Salih Al Talib, preaching from 
the Holy Mosque in Mecca, devoted his sermon to education. 
He proclaimed that education was important to all nations and 
final exams were an important matter for students.  He warned 
students, rather belatedly, that they should study hard from 
the first day of class and not wait until the time for 
examinations was upon them.  He also cautioned against 
fatigue from late night studying and taking stimulants. 
Showing compassion, he comforted anxious students by saying 
exams are not the end of the world.  It is possible to 
recover from failure.  "Students should see examinations," he 
said, "as an opportunity to excel and do their best." 
 
ROLE OF GOD IN EDUCATION 
 
¶8.  (U) The imam's second sermon was similar to the first. 
He told the congregation:  "Exams are an opportunity for the 
serious ones to train themselves and their children and to 
establish a link with God Almighty by resorting to Him and 
showing the need for Him.  No matter how smart a student is, 
he needs success from God Almighty."  He ended with a prayer 
beseeching God's assistance for students. 
 
FROM MEDINA:  FEAR GOD AND PLACE TRUST IN HIM 
 
¶6.  At the Prophet's Mosque in Medina on May 19, Shaykh 
Abd-al-Mushsin Bin-Muhammad al-Qasim offered a lesson without 
a specific target, simply admonishing the worshipers to "fear 
God and the punishment of those who disobey God."  His second 
sermon reprised the homily, assuring those present that: 
"Whoever fears God, no one harms him.  And whoever fears any 
other, no one benefits him.  Surrendering to God and placing 
trust in Him, removes fear from human beings."  He concluded 
with the usual prayer: "God, support Islam and Muslims, 
humble non-belief and unbelievers, destroy the enemies of 
religion, and make this and other Muslim countries safe and 
secure." 
Morales